Remembering the Flood of 1985—40 Years Later

A wall of water more than 23 feet high, carrying with it the greatest flood destruction in Roanoke Memorial's 86-year-old history, roared down the Roanoke River on Nov. 4, 1985, causing widespread damage at the hospital as well as an incredible amount of dislocation. This marked the third time within a 13-year period that raging floodwaters had inundated the hospital. The West Pavilion [opened in 1971] bore the brunt of the attacking waters with its basement completely flooded and its ground floor under four feet of water.

Excerpt from: Roanoke MEMOrial [CQ] Hospitals Special Edition, Flood issue, November 1985 by Vance Whitfield